It Seems That At Least To Advertisers, Alleged Sexual Assault Isn’t As Bad As Taking A Bong Rip

Go ahead and accuse me of overreacting about this, but does anybody else see the hypocrisy in Dick’s Sporting Goods decision to keep running ads featuring Ben Roethlisberger (video after the jump) despite the quarterback being embroiled in an alleged sexual assault case while companies were practically tripping over each other attempting to distance themselves from Michael Phelps after the infamous bong photo; including Kellogg’s, who dropped him altogether?

(time out: wow, was that a a lot of words – there has to be two or three run on sentences in that one)

Granted, there was indisputable photographic evidence of Phelps taking a puff, and before the entire Roethlisberger saga is over, he may end up completely vindicated and the allegations by Andrea McNulty may prove to be the incoherent and far-fetched rantings of an unstable individual, so they are completely different situations, but it is certainly at least an interesting decision by Dick’s to stand by Ben.

In light of ESPN”s foolish handling of the Roethlisberger case along with the fact that you couldn’t watch 10 minutes of SportsCenter back during Bonggate without some new angle being presented or a new analyst being wheeled out to discuss the Madness of Marijuana Man Michael, I guess I shouldn’t be surprised.